Pregnant woman jumps from pickup on Highway 394, boyfriend arrested

BLOUNTVILLE — A domestic dispute in a moving vehicle has led to the arrest of a Bluff City man, as he allegedly grabbed a gun while behind the wheel and his scared, pregnant, girlfriend jumped out of the pickup.

The victim, 27, hit her head on a guardrail along Highway 394, according to a witness who dialed 911. She then got back into the vehicle with Hunter Lofty, 27, and he drove her for treatment at Bristol Regional Medical Center. He was arrested in the emergency room.

An incident report at the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office says a dispatcher fielded the call on Wednesday, shortly before 4 p.m. A deputy soon spotted the described pickup as it turned into the hospital.

The officer found the vehicle sitting outside of the ER, unoccupied with hazard lights flashing. At the front desk police located both Lofty and the victim, who had suffered cuts to her face and chin.

Questioning revealed the couple had been arguing “all day.” The woman reportedly told Lofty to stop the pickup so she could exit, but when he pulled over she stayed in the vehicle.

As they travelled on Highway 394, the argument escalated and Lofty allegedly grabbed a pistol from the center console.The woman told police that he threatened he could kill her if he wanted to, at which point she jumped out of the moving pickup.

The officer was also told that the woman was eight months pregnant, and her sister had previously warned that Lofty “would kill her one day.”

Lofty, address listed as Weaver Branch Road, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. During a search, he was allegedly found to have a pill and straw with white residue, spurring charges of possession of a Legend drug without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.